"Stuart was not the guy."
"You have to say that because you're my best friend."
"It's because I'm your best friend that I shouldn't say that."

The best way to describe this is as a Canadian 13 going on 30! I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read more from Kate Robb.

Gemma is heartbroken after breaking up with her longterm boyfriend Stuart. ..but not because she particularly loved him. More because she misses the predictable stability. After a few too many drinks with her aunt, sister, and best friend (and total hottie) Dax, her aunt suggests a love cleanse spell. They do the spell, that must end with a kiss, which Dax provides, turning Gemma's world upside down, literally! When she wakes up the next day, she finds herself in a reality where she never dated her ex, which leads to a chain reactuon that also means she never got her comfy job, lives in a basement with a spider roommate named Frank, and worst of all, shes never met Dax...which is unfortunate because she needs to reverse the spell by the end of the month if she wants to get home, and she'll need another kiss from Dax to do it.

These characters fly off the page, and Robb's sense of humor is an absolute delight. I loved watching Gemma's character development, her deepening relationship with her sister, and of course, her romance with the dreamboat Dax. Everyone should read this because no one should miss out on sexy curling!

This book was an almost perfect romcom for me! It’s getting a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thank you to Kate Robb and Random House for supplying me an ARC of this novel.

There were very few things I disliked about this book. One was the level of alcohol consumption (just not for me) and the other was the super corny inner dialogue at times, but what’s a romcom without that?

On to the things I did like: I’m not a second chance romance OR friends to lover girlie, but wow this book managed to hook me with both. It was creative and unique, detailed, and so funny. Not many books are capable of making me slap my knees with laughter, but this one made the cut. In my opinion, all of the characters were very likeable and well rounded! The lesson of this whole book is really to just trust your gut instinct, and take risks that might change your life for the better, even if it’s scary and/or has the potential to go awry.

This Spells Love promises a magical, dual timeline story about finding out if your best friend may actually be the love of your life.

I have to be honest that I was expecting a bit more of a slow burn in the alternate timeline. I also found Dax to be dull, although totally pleasant and inoffensive. I wanted a little more chemistry between the leads, and I think I also wanted Gemma to be a little more in charge of each timeline.

For someone looking for second chance, friends to lovers, or alternate timelines, this is a great choice. It’s also spicy, so be warned if that’s not your thing!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

With friends-to-lovers, magical aunts, and multiversal travel, "This Spells Love" is surprising. Heartbroken heroine casts a spell that she never met her ex, and then the next morning she wakes to a different timeline of her life.

I'll be honest, Gemma kind of annoyed me as the female main character. She's winey, looks to others to solve her problems, and relies on alcohol quite a bit. BUT through the arc of the story, we see her grow and make, shocker, actual decisions for herself.

The real stars of the show are the side characters. Mainly Dax, the lovely love interest. He is a truly caring partner and friend, in BOTH timelines, and the relationship he has with Gemma is what kept me reading to the end. When they're together, the banter is witty and the situations, hilarious.

The multiversal travel maybe doesn't make sense, but this is a romance novel! Who cares.

This book was predictable at times, but also a wild ride. In the beginning I felt a bit of fantasy genre. Initially led me to believe I would not like the book. I ended up loving how quick and effortless it was written. Gemma and Dax are the best kind of friends to lovers trope I like to read. Gemma is a strong willed girl but needs her best friend to push her to achieve her goals. A story about love but also finding yourself and the things you love. Another romance novel to add to my summer list!

Have you every wondered if one little wish could change everything? Gemma certainly does when, along with the help of her Aunt and sister, ends up in a parallel universe where her best friend, Dax, is her boyfriend. She must decide which world she wants to live in: the one where they are friends or the one where they are lovers.

Overall, this book was a quick, fun read. The characters were relatable and you couldn't help but cheer for Gemma and Dax to be together. I really enjoyed that the unrequited love aspect wasn't because either one of the characters were making silly, petty, teenage decisions. It was two adults trying to decide what would be best for them, but in two different universes. All of the supporting characters added a lot of fun and humor to the plot.

I would absolutely recommend this book and author to all of my book loving friends! Anyone that enjoys rom-com type books would really enjoy this one!

I LOVED this book so much! It was so easy to read and everything was done so nicely. The spice was the perfect level and amount as I often find authors go overboard with spice. It wasn’t cringey at all and actually added to the story. So many cute and swoon-worthy moments. Amazingly done and I will definitely read more by Kate Robb in the future!

Phenomenal romantic fantasy, looking at what would happen if you cast a spell to change your past! The characters were so well written and I couldn't put the book down. I'd definitely recommend that people pick it up!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback for an eARC of This Spells Love by Kate Robb!

I am not normally a fan of alternate timelines/time travel, but I was absolutely WOWed by much I loved this story. The second-chance romance, best friends to lovers was so absolutely heart warming and beautiful. I loved the sisterly bonding in this book too! It was definitely a perfect "you don't know what you have until it's gone" type of story. Definitely one to add to the bookshelf!

If you are a fan of fantasy type romance, you will enjoy this book! The main character has a spell cast on her to get rid of her feelings over her ex. The spell works and she is now living in a parallel universe where her life is the same, but also very, very different. She must navigate this new world and develop relationships that no longer exist that she had from the old world. And through it all, she discovers love.

Thanks so much to Net Galley and Dial Press for the gifted e-copy of this book!

I absolutely loved this story! I’m all about the witchy vibes and loved the idea of the love cleansing spell. Gemma, after a break up, does what all of us do and got drunk with her aunt and bestie, Dax and here’s where it strayed from most of us and they do a love cleansing spell. Things shift and it works, but her bestie now has no idea who she is! This story was absolutely adorable and everything you’d want in a light-hearted rom-com with a bit of witchiness that makes everything different. I loved this book!

This Spells Love gives major Thirteen Going on 30 vibes, but with a witchy (they do a love cleansing spell) twist! This was so much fun, kept me hooked from the start, and was oh so steamy!

Gemma & Daxon, best friends and each other's person, platonically of course.

Imagine not knowing you're in love with your best friend and taking a chance (trying a spell) to make that romance happen. Then imagine nothing quite happens as you expect it to, at all. Yes, lots of good things happen but lots of "Wait, what?" moments happen as well.

What are you willing to give or give up for the people you love?

I really enjoyed this book and found myself rooting for Gemma to find her best self ... with our without Frank, the best roommate ever!

Fans of 13 Going On 30 - here’s your book.

This debut-novel follows a recently broken up Gemma as she’s launched into an alternate timeline to discover the possibilities her career, relationship with her sister, and most importantly, the possibility of a new love that she’s been overlooking for far too long. Thanks to a drunken love spell with the help of her Aunt Livi and sister Kiersten, Gemma is about to find out just how different her life - and love life - could have turned out.

I very much enjoyed this read. Dax and Gemma’s best friend dynamic was written so well I could feel their connection immediately. For those looking for a fun romance read that’s cheeky, and witty, and a bit of a nail biter as you witness the turmoil unfold, this book is for you. My one critique is that it could have used a bit more reference to the spell work and very slight witchy vibes it teases in one chapter - but then again that may just be my Practical Magic-obsessed self always reaching for that vibe the second spell are mentioned.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this debut novel!

✨ARC Review ✨

This Spells love by Kate Robb
Releases December 4th, 2023!

Gemma goes through a bad breakup and casts a spell to forget the night she met her ex. In the process, the spells sends her to an alternate universe. In this universe her life is completely different and her best friend doesn’t even know who she is. She has to stay till the moon is back in position to try the spell again to get back home. Will see stay in this alternate universe or try to get back home?

A sweet romcom story - all about taking risks and not just choosing the safe route because you already know the outcome! ❤️ This book gave me 13 going on 30 vines! I highly recommend!

Thank you so much randomhouse & NetGalley for this arc!

The plot was cute but the smut was wayyyyy overdone. Like the smut scenes were the author’s main goal and arrived way too fast so the tension was completely gone and the last half of the book dragged. I’m disappointed, because the plot sounded good. Ended up being a mediocre read.

Such a cute book and storyline! Such a fun and sexy rom-com novel, and enjoyed the time travel and magical realism. Definitely recommend.

This book was a delightful debut novel of personal growth, romance, and a bit of magic along the way.

Gemma is reeling from her fresh breakup and a night fueled by alcohol ends with her performing a love-erasing spell with her aunt and sister. Much to her surprise, it works in an unexpected way and she lands in an alternate timeline. In that timeline she gets to examine multiple “what ifs” from the past four years of choices, one of those being with her best friend Dax, who doesn’t know her in this timeline. Gemma gets a chance to see what her life might be like if she takes some risks. However, some of her choices lead to changing the lives of those she loves, and she has to decide if it’s worth staying or finding her way back ‘home’ when the time comes.

I thought this was a great turn on a time slip story. Gemma had a lot to figure out about herself. A lot of her self-examinations were things I think a lot of people can relate to. ‘Did I choose this route because it felt right or because it felt safe?’ being the biggest question she faces in multiple aspects of her life. She also had the opportunity to examine her relationships, especially with her sister. They have a strong bond in both universes, but in her alternate one, her eyes are opened to how much she may be taking her sister’s support for granted. I was happy to see Gemma come to that realization, because it seemed like she had a habit of leaning heavily on everyone else for support without questioning what they might need in return. The alternate timeline relationship with Dax was lovely, too. Their chemistry was palpable and the progression of their relationship felt natural. However, as best I can say without spoiling anything, I found myself wishing I knew for sure they were in the same permanent timeline before they *fully* progressed the relationship. I did also want more time with them in the “real” timeline. I loved them together, and I never doubted Gemma’s love for Dax in either time. The way she ultimately shows it is heartwarming. Without saying if she stays or goes back, I can say Gemma definitely follows through with the things she learns from the chance to explore her “what ifs” and brings the book to a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you for this digital ARC copy of This Spells Love. I rated this book a 4/5 stars. I will admit that friends to lovers is not my favorite trope but this book was so well written and cute that i almost forgot about that. The book follows Gemma who has just gone through a breakup and after one two many margaritas performs a spell to forget her ex but ends up turning her world upside down. Gemma was a likable main character that i was rooting for and Dax was the sweet dreamy best friend everyone wants. I genuinely thought this perfectly fit the rom com mold and would be the perfect book to be made into a movie. i really had fun time reading it!

Thank you so much Random House and Netgalley for this awesome ARC!

There was so much I loved about this story. First of all, friends to lovers is a trope close to my heart since that is kind of my story. I found the way this friendship developed and grew into more to be more believable then it often is, even if there was some fantastical elements (like multi-dimension universe type stuff).

I did find it a little slow to start out, but once Gemma hit the new timeline I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering how things would go, and especially wanting to know if she'd stay in the new reality or go back to the original.

I absolutely loved how Dax always checked in with her when they started getting physical. Even after making out for a while he'd check to make sure it was still OK or to see whether she wanted to keep going etc. And it was continuous and just so nicely done. I loved that.

Gemma started out a little self-centered and needy, but her character arc was excellent.

A fun and unique friends go lovers story, with a great supporting cast.